'Over the last half century, we have seen many of our native breeds almost ignored, while we have concentrated on abnormally hairy, almost hairless or absurdly loose-skinned breeds from afar,’ laments David Hancock in a Country Life article of 1987
Although this may be a little harsh, and it should be noted that many imported breeds have perfectly acceptable amounts of both hair and skin, it is nonetheless true that some of our native breeds are being ignored by the dog-owning public to the degree that they are in danger of disappearing entirely.
‘We’re so lucky to have such a variety of breeds in this country, with so many different personalities and characteristics, so the fact that some could disappear completely is concerning,’ says Bill Lambert, spokesperson for the Kennel Club (KC). ‘People simply forget there are so many wonderful dogs to discover, not only the popular and well-known ones, and we urge people to spend time researching the many breeds that we have in Britain and Ireland.’
The smooth collie is an elegant, active dog; friendly and faithful.
When it comes to selecting a new canine companion, it is easy to be blinded by fashion and perhaps overlook something less obvious that might better suit your lifestyle. The following list is of 10 dogs that have fallen from favour for various reasons — from size to appearance or loss of a traditional working role — and found themselves on the KC’s list of vulnerable native breeds, but that might be the perfect fit for you.
Of course, it goes without saying that any prospective addition to the household should be thoroughly researched. Clearly, an otterhound is not a sensible choice for someone who lives in a flat and a smooth collie will soon go doolally if you don’t have time to exercise it properly. With this in mind, we encourage you to go forth and be a little different.
10 vulnerable native dog breeds
- Dandie Dinmont terrier
- 2024 KC puppy registrations: 81
- Town or country:?Either
- Otterhound (above)
- 2024 KC puppy registrations: 42
- Town or country? Country
- Lancashire heeler
- 2024 KC puppy registrations: 75
- Town or country? Either
- Irish red and white setter
- 2024 KC puppy registrations: 49
- Town or country? Either
- Mastiff
- 2024 KC puppy registrations: 107
- Town or country? Country
- Smooth collie
- 2024 KC puppy registrations: 29
- Town or country? Either
- Kerry blue terrier
- 2024 KC puppy registrations: 77
- Town or country? Either
- Deerhound
- 2024 KC puppy registrations: 146
- Town or country? Country
- Field spaniel
- 2024 KC puppy registrations: 73
- Town or country? Country
- Irish water spaniel
- 2024 KC puppy registrations: 53
- Town or country? Country
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country LifeA waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
-
A dozen slices of al fresco inspiration from the best designers in BritainAmelia Thorpe shares her pick of the most beautiful outdoor furniture and accessories to help you make the most of summer.
-
What do 32 pigeons, 38 dogs, four horses and one cat have in common? They've all been awarded a Dicken medal, and now you can have one tooPunch and Judy, two brave boxer dogs, saved the lives of British officers in Palastine. Now Judy's PDSA Dickin Medal will go under the hammer at Noonans on June 11.
-
Forget catnip, it's all about catmintNepeta, the highly aromatic and pretty perennial beloved of so many country gardens, may be your feline’s favourite fix, but we should be wary of its root, warns Deborah Nicholls-Lee
-
‘It's a bit like a pub, but without the requirement of being drunk’: Why we’re all hot for a countryside saunaThe sauna is the latest wellness trend — especially one immersed in Nature. Lotte Brundle dips into why the pastime has been heating up.
-
'When you are blind, your physical world is only as far as your arms can reach, but with my guide dog, my world is limitless'Tubby little bundles of joy, guide-dog puppies may be irresistibly sweet, but they’ve been expertly engineered to perform life-changing duties, discovers Katy Birchall.
-
Arthur Parkinson: Ruffled feathers and a bad attitude — my guide on how to deal with broody hensA chicken's desire to sit on and hatch a clutch of eggs can be the most effortless way to rear your own birds, but for those who are after eggs and not chicks it can be a real issue.
-
'We don’t expect to catch monsters in British seas': The return of the bluefin tunaIt’s no longer necessary to venture to tropical waters in order to catch a monster tuna, says Jonathan Young, as he attempts to land a big-game fish in Falmouth Bay.
-
From 'Gerroff my land' to 'Get on my land': Farmers are keen to set the record straight with Open Farm Sunday 2025The event — which sees farmers throw open their gates to visitors — returns for its 19th year on Sunday, June 8 with hundreds of farms across Britain will be taking part.
-
Goodwoof: 'The remarkable thing is how few incidents of biting there are, from dogs and owners'Now in its 4th year, Goodwoof could be the canine Glastonbury. Charles Gordon-Lennox, the Duke of Richmond, reveals some of the secrets of its success.
